The Choice
by Kudo Shinichi Tanteisan
Summary: The Doctor chooses his companions carefully. Before any of them can officially join him in his travels, he gives them a choice. What will Houtarou choose, I wonder?


**Summary:**

_The Doctor chooses his companions carefully. Before any of them can officially join him in his travels, he gives them a choice. What will Houtarou choose, I wonder?_

**Disclaimer:**

I do not claim to own Hyouka or Doctor Who. They belong to and The BBC respectively. What I _do_ own is the plot. This story was written purely for entertainment purposes and as a way of studying the art of writing. Gosh. With this way of talking, I feel like a sir. XD

"Well?" The Doctor spun around the central control console before leaning against it with a grin. "What do you think?"

At this, Houtarou, who had spent quite some time gazing openmouthedly at the TARDIS interior in a daze, finally snapped out of his awed stupor. He blinked once, twice. "Sorry… What?" Not quite there yet.

Unfazed, the Doctor's grin only grew wider. "I said, 'What do you think?' about all these, I mean," he gestured to his surroundings as he said the last part.

Houtarou remained silent. After a moment's thought, he said slowly, as if he wasn't quite sure how to say it, "Well… For one thing, it's bigger on the inside…"

"And?" the Doctor prodded expectantly.

"And the energy here is overwhelming," is what Houtarou would have added. But he muttered a small "Nothing…" instead.

The Doctor stared at him for a moment before shrugging. "If you say so." And then his grin returned. "Buut! Do you know that's not even the most exciting part? She's called the TARDIS. T-A-R-D-I-S. Stands for Time and Relative Dimensions in Space. Meaning she can travel through space _and_ time. And she's sentient."

"SO! I ask you again," the Doctor paused dramatically, "What do you think?" Just when had he gotten this close? "Would you like to come away with me?"

There was just too much energy. The Doctor and… whatever this place was, they were overflowing with it. Houtarou couldn't help but feel out of place. "…Sorry, but I think I'll pass."

The Doctor's grin widened and he started to make his way back to the central control console. "Great! Then I'll – Wait. What?" he stopped.

"I said I'll pass," Houtarou repeated.

The Doctor's expression was that of confusion, but then it changed to shock, and then disbelief. "Oh, come _on_! I'm offering you the whole of time and space! The past and the future! Countless planets, constellations, galaxies! And you say _pass_?"

"Yup."

"But… Why?"

"Because it would cost too much energy," Houtarou explained, "I won't do something unless it's necessary. But if I have to do it, then I'll make it quick. That's my motto. All that travelling, all that _running_," he shuddered, "it would be too much for me."

That silenced the Doctor for a while. Seeing as there was nothing else for him to say, Houtarou decided to take his leave. "See you then, Doctor. Thanks for saving my life earlier," He exited through the TARDIS door, waving with the back of his hand as he did so.

Eventually recovering from the shock, the Doctor shook his head disdainfully. "Humans… Can't even understand them most of the time..."

Amid the Doctor's grumbling, amused beeps from the TARDIS could be heard.

**Author's Note:**

God I miss writing.

I've had this idea for a while now. I just never had the time to write it in narrative form like it is now. I'm really glad I immediately wrote the script I had in mind on paper. With that as the bones, I was able to flesh it out, bit by bit, until it became what it is now. I have to say, I'm really proud of this. It's the best-thought-out story I have been able to write so far. You know the kind of stories that strike you so vividly that you can actually _see_ it happening but you don't know how to write it out or you don't have the time to? Well, I recommend using this method for those.

I don't really see Houtarou as a companion. Heck, I don't really see Hyouka and Doctor Who mixing at all. In fact, if you will check, this is the first ever Hyouka and Doctor Who crossover here in . I don't know what, but something got me thinking, if it _does _mix, what would happen? After a bit of thought, I surmised that, at best, Houtarou would only be a guest companion. With his skills and all, he would be brilliant at it once he realizes that it would actually be necessary to work with the Doctor if he wanted to save his own hide, his loved ones', and for the heck of it, the world's. When the world is saved, and the Doctor sees his potential, what happens next would be this story. If, for some reason, Houtarou _does_ accept the Doctor's offer and decides to stay no matter what, he'll still probably be brilliant at being a companion, but he'll probably get increasingly grumbly. Does that make any sense? I don't know. Haha…

Anyway, I didn't specify which of the Doctor's reincarnation is in the story. That is because I started out with the intention of using Ten's voice since I was more familiar with his attitude and mannerisms. But then it evolved into a sort of free-for-all-any-New-Who-Doctor-you-like voice. I don't know. You choose. I see a little of Twelve there, but there seems to be more of Ten or Eleven. Actually, maybe even Nine.

Ah. I see that the Author's Note Section is once again in danger of becoming longer than the story itself. I'll stop now before it does.

Thank you for reading! Please review! Comments and constructive criticisms are most welcome. :)


End file.
